Advancing Eco Agriculture

What Advancing Eco Agriculture does

Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) is a private regenerative agriculture company founded in 2006 in Middlefield, Ohio by John Kempf, serving over 10,000 commercial growers across more than 4 million acres in North America. The company designs, manufactures, and sells a broad catalog of biological and nutritional agricultural inputs — including microbial inoculants, plant extracts, humic substances, and targeted micronutrients — organized into Essential, Functional, Nutritional, and Biological product families, many of which are OMRI-listed and NOP-compliant for organic farming. Core differentiators include a proprietary 5 Core Concepts / Plant Health Pyramid framework and a state-of-the-art plant sap analysis laboratory in Ohio that underpins data-driven, crop-specific recommendations.

AEA operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct e-commerce sales (product prices ranging from approximately $22 to over $11,000) with regional Farm Services teams that deliver in-field agronomic consulting. In April 2025 the company launched Groundwork, a standalone agronomic consulting service previously bundled with product purchases, opening a professional-services revenue stream independent of product sales. The company has expanded its customer base into small-scale and market gardening through a 2025 partnership with the Market Gardener Institute, and extended internationally in October 2024 via a strategic partnership and equity investment from Turkish precision-agriculture firm Topraq, targeting Turkey, southeast Europe, and west/central Asia.

The company is led by Founder and Chief Vision Officer John Kempf, with Jason Hobson serving as CEO and Paul Bergman as executive chairman. Total disclosed funding of approximately $8.5M ($4.7M from Tree Trunk Light in 2022 and $3.8M from USDA Rural Development in 2024) reflects a measured capital strategy, and AEA was named to Fast Company's 2026 list of World's Most Innovative Companies in agriculture. Revenue, ownership structure, and detailed customer economics are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Advancing Eco Agriculture

Legal name

Advancing Eco Agriculture, Inc.

Website

https://advancingecoag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Advancing Eco Agriculture is a private, Ohio-based regenerative agriculture company founded in 2006 that manufactures biological and nutritional crop inputs and provides data-driven agronomic consulting to over 10,000 commercial growers across 4 million-plus acres in North America and select international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Biologicals and Plant Nutrition

NAICS

Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing (325311)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Soil Health & Regenerative Agronomy Consulting (AFACABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Organic & Regenerative Fertility Inputs (Manures, Plant/Animal Meals, Fish/Seaweed) (AFABAKAE), Regenerative Agriculture (Soil Carbon, Cover Crops, Reduced/No-Till) (AFAGAMAA)

Keywords

• Regenerative agriculture
• Plant nutrition products
• Biological crop inputs
• Agronomic consulting
• Soil health solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Middlefield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: AEA manufactures and sells regenerative agriculture plant nutrition products including biological products, microbial fungal inoculants, and liquid micronutrients and macronutrients. Products are sold through e-commerce with pricing ranging from approximately $22 to over $11,000 depending on product type and quantity.
2. Agronomic Consulting Services (Groundwork): Contract consulting services providing strategic, customized plans and hands-on support for creating resilient farm systems. Previously only available to product customers, now offered independently with focus on ROI and economic performance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Advancing Eco Agriculture manufactures and sells regenerative plant nutrition products—including biological inoculants, micronutrients, and macronutrients—derived from naturally occurring microorganisms, plant extracts, and humic substances. The company also provides agronomic consulting (Groundwork) and plant sap analysis to help commercial growers transition to regenerative farming practices.

Product overview

Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) is a regenerative agriculture company offering a comprehensive portfolio of biological and nutritional agricultural products organized into four categories: Essential products (core regenerative solutions like BioCoat Gold, Rejuvenate, SeaShield, MacroPak, Spectrum), Functional products (supporting plant function like Accelerate, SeedFlare, SeaStim, PhotoMag, Pinion, SeaCrop), Nutritional products (specific nutrient delivery like HoloCal, HumaCarb, Holo-K, HoloPhos, Rebound micronutrient line, CalGuard), and Biological products (microbial inoculants like BioGenesis NP, BioDigester, MycoGenesis, Spectrum variants, OP-8, Micro5000). The product line also includes a Market Gardener Line with smaller packaging for small-scale farms. Services include Groundwork agronomic consulting, plant sap analysis, and grower education resources. Products are derived from naturally occurring microorganisms, plant extracts, and humic substances, with many OMRI-listed and NOP compliant for organic farming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BioCoat Gold Germination catalyst providing nutrients and soil microbes during seed germination to inoculate roots with vital microbial life; OMRI-listed. For commercial agricultural growers.
• Rejuvenate Broad-spectrum nutrition for soil biology that supplies soil microbes with what they need to thrive, supporting soil bacteria foundational to the farm ecosystem. For commercial growers.
• SeaShield Essential support for plant immunity and thriving soil fungi; enhances plant vigor and resistance to pests and pathogens. For commercial growers.
• MacroPak All essential macronutrients in one easy-to-use 2-2-2 NPK formula supporting large yields, photosynthesis, and immune system development. For commercial growers.
• Spectrum Soil inoculant that enhances and restores beneficial soil microbe populations; OMRI-listed and approved for certified organic crops. For commercial organic and conventional growers.
• MicroPak Blend of 8 critical trace minerals encouraging stronger root systems, increased nitrogen fixation, enhanced sugar transportation, and improved vigor and quality. For commercial growers.
• Accelerate Nutritional support for flowering and fruiting delivering nutrients during blossoming to increase flowers and improve fruit set. For commercial growers.
• SeedFlare NOP-compliant nutritional seed treatment providing trace minerals directly into the seed to stimulate rapid germination and emergence. For commercial growers.
• SeaStim Liquid seaweed concentrate supplying trace compounds that strengthen plant resistance to pests and pathogens and promote stronger root growth. For commercial growers.
• PhotoMag Provides key nutrients (cobalt, sulfur, boron, molybdenum, magnesium) needed by plants to metabolize nitrogen and synthesize complete proteins for photosynthesis. For commercial growers.
• Pinion Protects leaf surfaces from a wide range of fungal pathogens without disrupting the plant microbiome; creates an inhospitable environment for disease-causing organisms. For commercial growers.
• HoloCal Fast-acting calcium supplement delivering immediate supplemental calcium whether applied to soil or as foliar; vital for fruit quality and storability. For commercial growers.
• Holo-K Fast-acting potassium source that improves fruit quality and storability while remaining available in soils. For commercial growers.
• HoloPhos Superior form of phosphorus working within the biological system to be available when plants need it; promotes microbial activity rather than shutting it down. For commercial growers.
• HumaCarb 2.0 Source of stable humic substances that improves soil microbiology and aids nutrient uptake in the root zone to reduce potential fertilizer loss. For commercial growers.
• Rebound Boron Organic boron solution uniquely processed for maximum plant uptake; chelated for maximum availability. For commercial growers.
• Rebound Zinc Organic zinc solution uniquely processed for maximum plant uptake; chelated for maximum availability. For commercial growers.
• Rebound Iron Organic iron solution uniquely processed for maximum plant uptake; chelated for maximum availability. For commercial growers.
• Rebound Manganese Organic manganese solution uniquely processed for maximum plant uptake; chelated for maximum availability. For commercial growers.
• Rebound Copper Organic copper solution uniquely processed for maximum plant uptake; chelated for maximum availability. For commercial growers.
• Rebound Molybdenum Organic molybdenum solution uniquely processed for maximum plant uptake; key part of Nitrogen Efficiency Program. For commercial growers.
• Rebound Cobalt Organic cobalt solution uniquely processed for maximum plant uptake; chelated for maximum availability. For commercial growers.
• CalGuard Highly mobile liquid calcium that is rapidly translocated into fruit to prevent physiological disorders related to calcium deficiency. For commercial growers.
• SeaCrop Broad-spectrum ocean mineral concentrate derived from Northern Pacific seawater with a low-sodium formula that protects enzymes and organic substances. For commercial growers.
• SeaGuard Non-NOP version of SeaShield for non-organic growers; essential part of balanced nutritional program enhancing plant vigor and resistance to pests and pathogens. For commercial growers.
• BioDigester Blend of soil microorganisms that excel at digesting cellulose; helps break down dead plant material, crop residues, compost, and prunings. For commercial growers.
• Spectrum DS Biological inoculant for establishing populations of beneficial soil microbes in drought-stressed soils; OMRI-listed. For commercial growers.
• Spectrum PSB Phosphorus-solubilizing biological product for establishing populations of beneficial soil microbes; OMRI-listed. For commercial growers.
• Spectrum + Myco Convenient combination of Spectrum and MycoGenesis in a single package; biological soil inoculant for establishing beneficial soil microbes. OMRI-listed. For commercial growers.
• MycoGenesis Mycorrhizal inoculant; dry blend of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and mycorrhizal fungi designed to inoculate soils with microbial life. For commercial growers.
• BioGenesis NP Soil inoculant composed of broad spectrum of beneficial microorganisms along with humic acids and humectants; OMRI-listed. For commercial growers.
• Micro5000

Quantifiable outcome

• Worked on over 4 million acres across North America
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Market Gardener Institute (MGI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2025Partnership to deliver regenerative solutions for small-scale growers and market gardeners. Includes co-branded Market Gardener Line products and educational content based on JM Fortier's methods.
• EdaciousminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Partnership to promote regenerative agriculture practices and accelerate adoption of regenerative methods.
• TopraqcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2024Global partnership with Turkish precision agriculture company Topraq to expand access to regenerative solutions and integrate their technologies in Turkey and surrounding regions. The partnership includes investment from Topraq in AEA and involves joint offerings like the Croptix platform, which enhances crop health management particularly for citrus growers affected by Huanglongbing disease. The collaboration aims to promote regenerative agriculture across Turkey, southeast Europe, and west and central Asia.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pivot Bio: Pivot Bio develops microbial nitrogen-fixing products for row crops, directly competing with AEA's biological nitrogen-efficiency and biological product portfolio across the same commercial corn and broad-acre grower base.
• Indigo Ag: Indigo Ag offers microbial seed treatments and biological inputs to commercial growers, overlapping with AEA's Spectrum, BioGenesis, and MycoGenesis biological inoculant lines for similar row-crop and specialty-crop customers.
• Sound Agriculture: Sound Agriculture sells biological nutrient-efficiency products (including a microbial nitrogen source) to commercial growers, directly competing with AEA's nitrogen-efficiency and biological categories targeting row-crop farmers.
• Groundwork BioAg: Groundwork BioAg produces mycorrhizal inoculants for broad-acre agriculture, directly comparable to AEA's MycoGenesis mycorrhizal product and overall biological soil-inoculant category.
• AgBiome: AgBiome develops biological crop-protection and plant-health products from microbial communities, overlapping with AEA's Pinion and broader biological and functional product categories for specialty and row crops.

Broad incumbents

• Bioceres: Bioceres is a larger publicly traded ag-tech platform offering biological inputs (including inoculants and biostimulants) across Latin America and globally, competing in the same biological/regenerative category as AEA but at much greater scale and geographic breadth.

Emerging players

• Tidal Grow: Tidal Grow manufactures the cold-processed seafood-hydrolysate fertilizer SeaPhos that AEA distributes to its customers. Operates as both a product supplier and adjacent biological-input peer in the regenerative agriculture category.
• Regrow Ag: Regrow Ag provides regenerative agriculture measurement, verification, and crop modeling for agrifood companies, adjacent to AEA's data-driven agronomy and plant sap analysis capabilities, serving overlapping commercial growers transitioning to regenerative practices.
• Trace Genomics: Trace Genomics offers soil microbiome and genetic analysis services for agriculture, comparable to AEA's in-house plant sap analysis lab as a data-driven agronomic insight layer for commercial growers.
• MyLand: MyLand provides soil-microbiome services and biological inputs that work alongside irrigation systems to enhance native soil biology, partially overlapping with AEA's biological soil-inoculant offering and overall regenerative agronomy approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AdvancingEcoAg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRApdrU3BA0Pzo6MNWTD2jg
• Facebookfacebook.com/advancingecoag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/advancing-eco-agriculture
• Instagraminstagram.com/advancingecoag

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Advancing Eco Agriculture